Sun Conure

The Sun Conure, also known as Sun Parakeet, is another beautifully coloured species we will discuss at Parrot Facts.

The Sun Conure, while remaining fairly common in the northern parts of South America, has been threatened by habitat loss and trapping for pet trade – although easily bred in captivity and very popular as pets, being recently listed as an endangered species by the IUCN.

Sun Conure – Aratinga solstitialis

This parrot is mostly bright yellow with orange-flushed face and body. Their juvenile green plumage is mostly lost with maturity, remaining only on some parts of the wings, lower back and tail after reaching an adult state.

There is a pied mutation of the Sun Conure which has even fewer green plumage, resembling a Golden Conure, and also a red-factor mutation in which most of the yellow is replaced by more “tanned” colours, between orange and red.

As a pet, they usually demand more care than average, and will misbehave if the owner doesn’t give them enough attention, as they are curious birds and want to be doing something all the time. They are also very loud screechers for such a small species, so keep that in mind if you want to get one. Also, don’t forget the Sun Conure is already an endangered species, so do not contribute in any way to the extintion of one of the most beautiful small parrots of the world. Be sure that your parrot wasn’t taken from the wild, as not only will it make the bird a terrible pet, it will also contribute to the decline of the already scarce wild population of the Sun Conure.

Sun Conure video

Sun Conure facts

Binomial name: Aratinga solstitialis

Scientific classification:
Family: Psittacidae
Sub-family: Arinae
Tribe: Arini
Genus: Aratinga

Subspecies: although they are generally considered to be a monotypic species (with no subspecies), three other species have been previously labeled as a subspecies to the sun conure, being members of the aratinga solstitialis complex:
- auricapilla (Kuhl, 1820)
- jandaya (Gmelin, 1788)
- maculata (Statius Müller, 1776) or pintoi (Silveira, de Lima & Höfling, 2005), recently shown to be the same species/subspecies

Conservation status: endangered

Diet: fruits, flowers, berries, nuts…

Natural habitat: mainly savanna and coastal forests

Sexual dimorphism: none. Sun conure parrots can only be sexed through a DNA analysis

Size: about 30cm

Average lifespan: 25 to 30 years

Sun Conure pics